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For
Immediate Release
December 1, 2004
U.S. REPRESENTATIVES URGE EUROPEAN
UNION TO KEEP CHINA ARMS EMBARGO
On November
30, 25 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to the
Prime Minister of the Netherlands, current chair of the European
Union, urging him to do whatever he can to make sure the EU does not
lift its arms embargo on China.
Due to the
fact that the remainder of the sessions after the November elections
is rather short, the prospect of passing HCR 512 that was introduced
in mid-October is slim. The co-introducers of HCR 512, Reps. Steve
Chabot (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) decided to initiate a letter
to the President of the EU in lieu of the resolution.
The Members
write, “ We believe that Europe should take the positions of other
democracies into account. The views of the U.S., Japan and
democratic nations that surround China – such as Taiwan and South
Korea – should weigh heavily in the balance between pro and con.
They clearly do not favor lifting the embargo.”
The
Members conclude, “We urge you to use your good offices to work with
your European Union colleagues to make sure that the EU arms embargo
on China remains.” The 25 co-signers are: Reps. Steve Chabot,
Sherrod Brown, Tom Lantos, Tim Ryan, Mark Souder, Pete Sessions, Tom
Tancredo, Vito Fossella, Earl Blumenauer, Steve King, John Shimkus,
John Hostettler, Gene Green, Lane Evans,
Howard
Berman, Brad Sherman, John Culberson, Ron Lewis, Shelley Berkley,
Gil Gutknecht, Dave Camp, Peter King, Hilda Solis, Thaddeus McCotter
and Nita Lowey.
FAPA
President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D. says: “ We were informed by sources in
the Administration that next year will be the critical year to
determine whether the EU will lift its arms embargo on China. It is
good to know though that the U.S. administration as well as the
Congress take the same stand on this issue: they both oppose lifting
the embargo – citing human rights concerns and the national interest
of the U.S. in the region.”
Wu
continues: “FAPA is glad to learn that in addition to HCR 512 which
was introduced last October and this letter, Rep. Jo Ann Davis
(R-VA), the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Europe of the House
International Relations Committee, also introduced H.Res 862 towards
the end of the 108th Congress opposing the lift.”
Wu
concludes: “If the embargo is lifted, the military balance in the
Taiwan Strait will shift unacceptably in China’s favor. The security
of the 23 million people of Taiwan is at stake here. We at FAPA will
do whatever it takes to make sure that the lift will not take place
next year. Introducing legislation in Congress next year which would
sanction individuals or companies that sell weapons to China would
be one possibility.”
Contact: Iris Ho at 202-547-3686
【FAPA
新聞稿】
【2004年12月1日】
美眾議院呼籲歐盟勿解除對中國軍售禁令
25位美國眾議員於昨日聯署致函目前是歐盟輪值主席，也是荷蘭外長的鮑特(Jan
Peter Balkenende)，呼籲歐盟不要解除對中國的武器禁運限制。
由於美國國會大選後所剩會期有限，無法如期通過在十月中提出的第512號決議案，主導此決議案的夏波與布朗議員們決定改採致函方式，在短短數日之內積極展開聯署行動。
二十多位議員們在這封致鮑特的信裡表示：「我們相信歐洲應該將其他民主國家的立場納入考量。美國，日本以及其他環繞在中國周圍的國家，如南韓與台灣等國的態度都應被審慎列入權衡贊成與反對的理由之中。這些國家很明顯地不支持歐盟解除對中國的武器禁運限制。」議員們並在信中列舉數項歐盟不應該解除這個禁令的理由。
議員們最後在信中表示：「我們希望您能運用您的主席身份，與您的歐盟會員國們合作，確保對中國的武器禁運的限制能夠繼續維持下去。」參與此封聯署信函的議員們如下：Reps.
Steve Chabot, Sherrod Brown, Tom Lantos, Tim Ryan, Mark Souder, Pete
Sessions, Tom Tancredo, Vito Fossella, Earl Blumenauer, Steve King,
John Shimkus, John Hostettler, Gene Green, Lane Evans, Howard
Berman, Brad Sherman, John Culberson, Ron Lewis, Shelley Berkley,
Gil Gutknecht, Dave Camp, Peter King, Hilda Solis, Thaddeus McCotter
and Nita Lowey.
FAPA會長吳明基表示：「從各方訊息得知，明年將是歐盟裁決是否解除對中國軍售禁令的關鍵點。基於促進人權與保障美國在亞太地區的國家利益，美國國會以及行政部門是採完全一致的態度，他們均反對歐盟解除這個長達十五年的禁令。除了日前FAPA協助引進的第512號決議案，加上今日的聯署信函，眾議院國際關係委員會的歐洲小組主席戴維絲(
Jo Ann Davis, R-VA)女士也在此屆國會會期即將結束前引進第862號議案，表達相同的立場。」
FAPA會長吳明基繼續表示：「歐盟一旦解除禁令，台海軍事平衡將更快速向中國傾斜，這個議題攸關的是台灣二千三百萬人民的安全；因此，與美國國各界合作，呼籲歐盟繼續維持對中國軍售禁運的限制將是明年FAPA的首要工作重點。如有必要，我們將不排除提出具有法律效應，甚或是包含制裁出售武器給中國的公司或是個人等條款的法案。」
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